Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Start off the New Year right – with a focus on simple ways to improve the foods you already enjoy. Adding spices and herbs is an easy way to power up your plate, boosting flavor and natural antioxidants of your favorite foods, while making it easier to replace salt, sugar and fats. Try an easy 30 day challenge to help make “super swaps” a healthful habit this year.

The McCormick® www.spicesforhealth.com website offers a whole host of convenient, delicious ways to add natural antioxidants at every meal in an easy-to-follow calendar of super swap tips. Site visitors can start with the day’s featured tip or download a full 30 day calendar for an idea per day to last a full month.

•Skip the mayo, and try mixing 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder into 8 ounces of plain yogurt to use as great spread on a turkey and vegetable pita sandwich.

•Instead of drizzling oil onto baked chicken breasts or roasted vegetables, shake on some herbs – thyme, rosemary and oregano are all great matches – and a squeeze of lemon juice. For every tablespoon of olive oil, you’ll save 120 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Applying the super swap approach is also cost-effective. With each pinch, dash and spoonful, spices and herbs can help boost the antioxidant power of practically everything on the plate for only pennies. In fact, a 1/4 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon costs only $0.03 and a 1/4 teaspoon of Oregano Leaves adds up to just $0.06 .

To take the 30 Day Super Swaps Challenge and find more tips and recipes, plus information about the antioxidant content of Super Spices, visit www.spicesforhealth.com.

While you're visiting the McCormick® site, check out the recipes! Here's the one that we tried out:

Disclaimer:I was sent a variety of McCormick® spices to review. The opinions expressed above are solely my own and yours may differ. Receiving a product will NEVER influence what I write in any review.

I love that Calendar of ideas! The cinnamon for Day 17 is sprinkling some in your applesauce and spreading on your toast instead of jams, jellies,etc. I love sprinkling cinnamon in my oatmeal. I never thought of using it like jam! Great tip! arteachersusan at gmail.com